diff --git a/odoo/addons/base/models/ir_fields.py b/odoo/addons/base/models/ir_fields.py
index b258d553bf2..fa0ee7f200f 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/base/models/ir_fields.py
+++ b/odoo/addons/base/models/ir_fields.py
@@ -432,18 +432,16 @@ class IrFieldsConverter(models.AbstractModel):
             field_type = _(u"database id")
             if isinstance(value, str) and not self._str_to_boolean(model, field, value)[0]:
                 return False, field_type, warnings
-            try: tentative_id = int(value)
-            except ValueError: tentative_id = value
             try:
-                if RelatedModel.search([('id', '=', tentative_id)]):
-                    id = tentative_id
-            except psycopg2.DataError:
-                # type error
+                tentative_id = int(value)
+            except ValueError:
                 raise self._format_import_error(
                     ValueError,
                     _(u"Invalid database id '%s' for the field '%%(field)s'"),
                     value,
                     {'moreinfo': action})
+            if RelatedModel.browse(tentative_id).exists():
+                id = tentative_id
         elif subfield == 'id':
             field_type = _(u"external id")
             if not self._str_to_boolean(model, field, value)[0]:
diff --git a/odoo/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py b/odoo/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
index 00a25ab0f4b..4dfb344bce8 100644
--- a/odoo/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
+++ b/odoo/addons/test_impex/tests/test_load.py
@@ -706,6 +706,13 @@ class test_m2o(ImporterCase):
             u"name, external id or database id")])
         self.assertIs(result['ids'], False)
 
+    def test_fail_id(self):
+        record = self.env['export.integer'].create({'value': 42})
+        result = self.import_(['value/.id'], [["lorem"], [record.id]])
+        self.assertFalse(result['ids'])
+        self.assertTrue(result['messages'])
+        self.assertEqual(result['messages'][0]['message'], "Invalid database id 'lorem' for the field 'Value'")
+
     def test_name_create_enabled_m2o(self):
         result = self.import_(['value'], [[101]])
         self.assertEqual(result['messages'], [message(